Killington, Vt.: Rank 2 East, 1998

Killington is so big it makes your head hurt. Wait a minute¿maybe your head hurts because of Killington's nightlife. Either way, readers agree that Killington deserves a No. 2 ranking for the second year in a row. "Great terrain variety and challenge," says one reader. Killington serves up a massive 1,000 acres with every imaginable nuance of terrain. You can bump till you bleed on Outer Limits or learn to turn on Snowshed. You can take in the view from Killington Peak¿Vermont's second highest¿or check out the deck at the Bear Mountain Lodge. Despite its immensity, Killington is immaculately coiffed. "Super snowmaking and grooming overcome New England weather," one reader marvels. Dining options abound, and the access road is one five-mile-long après-ski party. (Try the Wobbly Barn.) Detractors say the resort is "increasingly Coney Island like," and that it has a corporate feel under new ownership. "Seen 30 years of change, not all for the good," a skier critiques. But most agree that the good far outweighs the bad. "The best skiing in New England," a reader says.